


Glass Bottle

by everywintersbreath



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, M/M, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Post-Apocalypse, Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-01-06 02:48:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18379388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/everywintersbreath/pseuds/everywintersbreath
Summary: Doyoung blinks up at the clouds through the hazy film that coats his vision, chest still heaving with pain. It’s only now that he's realizing just who exactly the man is. He's Taeyong, Lee Taeyong, the mayor’s son, top of his class, idolized by every underclassman at the academy. He's that Lee Taeyong, and he had still lied for Doyoung’s sake, had still potentially ruined his perfect reputation to save Doyoung—a complete nobody—from punishment.or: a post-apocalyptic au where taeyong shows doyoung the world and doyoung shows taeyong how to love





	1. An Unfortunate Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first fic with taeyong in it i am so sorry i am a mess i hope it is enjoyable
> 
> some things that are unclear in this chapter will be explained in the next

 

When Doyoung first sees him, standing amidst the circle of shadowy wolves with a heaving chest and a clearly ruptured oxygen tank, there’s admittedly a rather vocal part of his brain that tells him to just run away. 

Doyoung isn’t supposed to be here, after all. He’s a class six trainee, a complete beginner, restricted to only exploring Zone 1 with his clunky scavenging suit that he has to wear due to being allergic to the immunity vaccines. The man before him, just past the border of Zone 3, looks to be a class two trainee from the grey and black camouflage pattern on his sleek suit, a suit that Doyoung is almost jealous of. The man must have undergone several stages of the vaccinations in order to obtain such a maneuverable piece of equipment. He’s nothing like Doyoung.

Swallowing, Doyoung clenches one of his gloved fists. The “wolves,” if they could even be called that, are getting bolder, snapping at the man’s legs as he tries to fend them off with his baton, clearly struggling to take as few breaths of the poisonous air as possible. Doyoung, known in his neighborhood for being especially meddlesome, absolutely cannot just leave him there to die, no matter what the consequences might end up being.

“Hey!” He yells, emboldened by a sudden rush of adrenaline. His left hand creeps into the pocket of the front of the suit, fingers sweaty through the fabric as they grasp the small packet of powder that he had managed to swipe from the higher training hall a week ago in case something like this ended up happening. 

All of the creatures heads snap around in sync with the man’s, who manages to convey his strong sense of disapproval despite having his face entirely hidden by the mask. Doyoung swallows, glad that his throat isn’t visible with the thick layers of fabric over his skin. Aside from the powder that sits comfortably in his hand, all he has is a trainee baton. He’ll have to be very strategic about how he does this, or both of them will be toast. 

Almost as if curious, one of the closer creatures takes a step towards him, and then Doyoung gets an idea. He moves his arm, and sure enough, the beady pairs of eyes follow his motion, all hungry for the chase. They’ve completely lost interest in the still target now that Doyoung is here and moving around in front of them. Taking a short breath, Doyoung whirls on his heel and starts to sprint.

He can hear them, loud and ravenous, snarling and crunching their claws into the rubble of the buildings that once lined the street as they leap after him. Doyoung’s own breaths are deafening in his ears, the heat of the chase spurring him on as he leaps over a large crack in the ground, wishing he’d spent a bit more time in the weight training classes that had been offered in high school. It’s a lot harder to run with a heavy tank on your back.

They’re getting way too close, Doyoung realizes, breaking out into another layer of sweat. He really didn’t think this through. Within seconds, the first of them will catch up to him and then he’ll really be done for. If he doesn’t do something soon, he’s going to lose this game of tag.

Fumbling for the baton, Doyoung grasps it in his free hand, spying a large crater in the ground nearby where the scaffolding of a building had once cut through the earth. This will have to do. 

He makes his final burst, jumping onto one of the thin pipes that stretch out across the gap, swinging his arms wide to keep balance as the wolves close in. Whirling, Doyoung stumbles back to a safe distance, waiting for one of them to lunge. The jump is fairly short, and while he’s no expert on these creatures, he assumes that they’ll be able to make it easily. It’s a gamble, but he’s just hoping the limited space will be more of a disadvantage for them than it is for him. 

Or maybe, Doyoung realizes, watching them run, he won’t have to worry about that at all. 

The pack of them is approaching the edge of the pit, clumping together as they slobber and growl, likely over who’ll be the first to take a bite out of Doyoung’s arm. They’re close enough together that if Doyoung acts now, he can get several at once. 

Ripping the packet, Doyoung hurls it, taking the opportunity to inch further back as the powder settles on the nearest creatures like snow, instantly sending them into a frenzy. There are only two that he didn’t manage to coat, seeming to be panicking at the drunken wobbling of their packmates. It’s quite lucky, Doyoung thinks, that the sedative is so fast acting. 

On the other hand, it’s quite unlucky that he’s managed to get the remaining two wolves even angrier. 

Prodding at the back of another, one of the remaining wolves snarls at him, looking ready to finally leap when out of nowhere the officer from before appears, swinging a blade out that cuts through the body of the creature in a single strike. Doyoung’s jaw drops, watching it crumble as the man fells its companion, staring with disdain at the sleeping creatures on the ground around his feet. 

“You’re pretty brave, I’ll give you that,” the man says, sheathing the blade. “But also stupid. We need to go.”

Doyoung takes the few steps back to the edge of the pipe, mouth swarming with unsaid questions. It takes the man steadying him with a quick hand as he lands on solid ground once more for him to gain the courage to speak. “How long do you have?” He asks, hurrying to keep up with his quick steps.

“Dunno,” the man replies after a moment too long of silence. “Long enough.” 

It’s clear from the tone of his voice that he doesn’t want to talk. Doyoung doesn’t blame him, not when he’s already wasted enough precious breaths chasing after the creatures. Somewhat embarrassed, Doyoung stares at the ground in front of his feet through the darkened glass of his mask. Maybe he had only made things worse by stepping in, considering how easily the man had taken down the two wolves after him. 

“Thank you,” Doyoung says after a few more moments of painful silence, finally looking back up at the shoulders of the man in front of him. The man glances at him for half a second, vaulting over the wreckage of what was once a vehicle. “What are you thanking me for?” 

His tone is still cold, but there’s a hint of genuine confusion in there. It takes Doyoung a moment to think of what to say, a tiny ratlike creature darting away from a rock that he steps on top of. “For coming back,” Doyoung manages, watching it scurry into the shadows as he continues to follow the man. 

“I don’t know what kind of rumors they’ve been spreading now, but I’m not heartless,” the man replies. “You helped me, it was my duty to repay you in kind.”

The implications of that statement are rather loaded, Doyoung thinks, wondering if the man would have intervened had he been the one in the circle originally. He’s probably just thinking too much about it. More important is the question of the man’s identity. “I don’t even know who you are, actually.”

“Ah,” he replies, a soft, humorless laugh sounding from his lips. “Perhaps it’s better that way.”

Pursing his own lips, Doyoung struggles to keep up with him, noticing how the man seems to be getting more desperate to get back, his shoulders shivering in a way that they really should not be considering the type of suit he’s wearing. “Well I’m Kim Doyoung,” he replies with newfound confidence. “And are you sure you’re okay?”

“Why were you out there?” The man asks, not acknowledging either his name or his question. Doyoung sighs, keeping a close eye on his back. Zones 1 and 2 are the smallest of the five, but they still have a way to go until they reach the protective atmosphere of the bubble once more. “Curiosity.”

Doyoung expects him to attempt a lecture, or at least to mention the famous proverb. Instead, he’s silent as if thinking about the answer. After a few seconds of utter quiet, the man lets out an awful sounding cough, immediately trying to stifle the sound. It’s too late. Doyoung’s eyes are trained on him now. 

“Put on my ventilation mask.”

The man growls, sounding annoyed. “Don’t say unnecessary things. I absolutely will not.”

“I know you’re wearing that fancy suit, but you’re just like me, aren’t you? If we don’t switch around now, you’ll die before we make it back.”

The man whirls and Doyoung thinks that if his face wasn’t hidden, there might be actual lasers shooting from his eyes. They stare at each other for a moment, and then the man sighs, a sound of resignment. He knows that Doyoung is right. “Fine,” he snarls. “Hand it over.”

With heavy hands, Doyoung lifts the mask and the tanks connected to it off of his body, holding them out like an olive branch of peace. They weigh a lot, his fingers fumbling when the man finally rips off his own mask and puts the apparatus on. He’s quick with his movements, a grimace crossing his handsome features as if he’s worried that Doyoung will make a comment upon seeing his face. 

Doyoung, however, still has no idea who he is. 

Discarding the broken mask, he finds his wrist in the grip of the other man, being tugged roughly at a speed that’s almost too quick for his legs to keep up with. They’re walking at a pace just short of running, and for the first time, Doyoung is breathing in the poisons in the atmosphere.

It’s strange, he thinks, this feeling. There’s no immediate pain but the consistency of the very air is different as if he’s inhaling the steam from the shower instead of oxygen. The quicker his breaths come, the more it starts to sting, the pain starting in his chest near the bottom of his lungs and building from there. They’re at the border of Zone 2 now, and there’s not much longer to go, but Doyoung feels almost dizzy. 

He lets out a rasp, his stomach tightening at the feeling like a mesh of barbed wire pressing into his organs. The man looks back, and it's then that he lets go of Doyoung’s wrist. “Get on,” he commands. There’s no way that Doyoung can refuse like this, and so he climbs onto the mans slanted back, clutching his neck for dear life and trying not to crush his own body against the oxygen tanks. 

The air rushes through his hair as the man starts to run, gripping Doyoung’s legs to support him even as he leaps and dodges past the ruins of the old civilization. It’s impressive, Doyoung thinks blearily, blinking away the tears that threaten to fall from his stinging eyes. He really needs to work out more if he wants to be able to keep up with people like this. 

His fingers twitch against the fabric that covers the man’s neck, and the man squeezes his legs tighter in his warm hands. “I won’t let you fall,” he grunts, and though his voice is still grumpy and he’s been nothing but obstinate, Doyoung can’t help but feel touched at the sentiment. 

It feels like ages before they actually break back into one of the doors of the bubble, Doyoung’s body shuddering as he heaves for oxygen on the grass, lying next to the other man who regards him through the mask as several officers rush over. This is when Doyoung gets busted. He’s at best going to be kicked out of the academy, at worst going to jail. His budding career as an explorer is going to end here.

“What happened, Taeyong?” The nearest officer yells, making the man beside Doyoung remove the mask, shaking out his hair with a grimace. “I was reckless. I was attacked in Zone 3 by some creatures who tore my tank. I was making my way back and when I reached Zone 1 this young man offered me his mask because of how long I had been going without mine. I think it’s his first time breathing that stuff, so he’s pretty sick right now.”

Doyoung blinks up at the clouds through the hazy film that coats his vision, chest still heaving with pain. It’s only now that he's realizing just who exactly the man is. He's Taeyong, Lee Taeyong, the mayor’s son, top of his class, idolized by every underclassman at the academy. He's that Lee Taeyong, and he had still lied for Doyoung’s sake, had still potentially ruined his perfect reputation to save Doyoung, a nobody, from punishment.

“Let’s bring him to the medical wing,” one of the officers comments wearily, and it’s then that Doyoung is being manhandled, dragged away with hazy eyes as he watches the remaining officer question Taeyong. 

_ I won’t let you fall!  _ It rings in Doyoung’s ears, and he blinks. Lee Taeyong, huh? Looks like things might get interesting. 

 

-

 

When Doyoung wakes up, he’s in the infirmary, a stark white ceiling overhead and the smell of disinfectant in the air. 

“Morning,” someone comments, making Doyoung’s eyes flicker to where his roommate sits at his bedside, flipping through a book that looks ancient and suspicious enough to have been swiped from the restricted section of the academy library. Not that Taeil would be capable of committing a crime of any sort, but it’s a funny thought to entertain when his droopy eyes finally look up from the words on the pages to meet Doyoung’s. “Hi,” Doyoung replies softly. 

“You were asleep for a while,” Taeil mentions monotonously, not looking away. Doyoung allows his own gaze to flutter, noticing the frayed ends of Taeil’s fingers where they grip the edges of his book. They’ve been chewed to stumps, all red and chapped. “Taeil,” he murmurs with concern. “Your fingers, don’t they hurt?”

The older man stares away, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. “Sorry,” he mumbles. “I know it bothers you, but I was anxious.” 

“I’m grateful to have a friend like you to watch over me,” Doyoung replies with a small smile. “You don’t need to apologize, just make sure you take care of yourself too.”

The man grunts, staring back down at his book blanky with a tinge of red on his cheeks. Doyoung yawns, taking the lapse in conversation as an opportunity to stretch his sore limbs. He feels entirely better, all of the pain from the poison having completely disappeared. 

“Hey, Taeil,” he says, suddenly remembering something. “Did you see anyone else come by while you were here?”

The elder looks up, his eyes boring holes in Doyoung’s. “I don’t know if you were expecting someone specific, but I’ve been here since they brought you in. The only other person who came to visit was your mother.”

Doyoung exhales, smiling at him faintly. “I was just wondering if my parents were worried about me,” he lies. Taeil seems to notice the fib but doesn’t comment, simply humming. “Gongmyung wanted to see you too, but he was busy at work. Your mom left these flowers from him.”

“They look expensive,” Doyoung snorts, noticing the flower arrangement that Taeil gestures at. “He always has to show off.”

Taeil’s lips curl up, and he follows Doyoung’s gaze. “But you like them.”

“Yeah,” Doyoung replies, letting his lashes flutter shut. “I do like them. But I like seeing people better than I like seeing flowers. Thanks for being here, Taeil.”

The elder hums, the sound of his fingers turning the page audible in the quiet room. “Buy me one of those limited-edition cinnamon cones at the ice cream shop to make up for the damage you’ve inadvertently caused my fingers.”

“No fair,” Doyoung whines. “You’re only asking for one because it’s expensive, you gold-digger.”   


Taeil just smiles, and Doyoung lays his head back down, glad to know that it’s not just the medicine making him feel better.

 

-

 

It takes a week for something else to actually happen. 

Doyoung had been expecting to run into Taeyong at every corner, maybe to get beaten up by him behind the school or be made to do his laundry. It had happened before with the higher ranks, but on the contrary, Doyoung doesn’t see the older boy at all. 

Although he’s loathe to admit it, he’s actually disappointed.

The days are ordinary. Some of his classmates resent him for his “heroism,” some of them treat him a tiny bit better for it. It’s a mixed bag, but Doyoung doesn’t mind, not when he doesn’t care about any of them anyway. He stays in the back corner of the classrooms and manages to make it to the next weekend without getting physically accosted a single time, a new record. 

It’s that Saturday when Taeyong shows up. 

Doyoung’s sitting on a bench in one of the more famous parks of the bubble with Taeil, watching the ducks swim around in the pond in front of them while the elder works on some homework. It’s warm, but not unpleasantly so, and Doyoung’s just started to doze off when a hand comes down on his shoulder. 

He jumps, jostling Taeil’s sketchbook with his elbow by accident as he spins to meet Taeyong’s intense gaze. The complaint that starts to come out of Taeil’s mouth trails off into silence as he observes the interaction before them. Taeyong’s just staring at him, appearing entirely different in plainclothes. According to the rumor mills at the academy, the third year that Doyoung had saved had been someone random, not Taeyong, so he doubts that their interaction looks at all ordinary in the slightest to his friend. 

“You look fine,” Taeyong says finally, and there’s a hint of relief in his stern voice, his elbows coming down to prop his weight on the back of the bench, face close to Doyoung’s. “Yeah,” he replies carefully. “Do you need something?”

The phrasing comes out ruder than Doyoung would have liked, but Taeyong doesn’t seem to mind, still holding eye contact in a way that’s actually quite uncomfortable. “Yes, actually. Come with me.”

“Right now?” Doyoung asks with a hint of incredulity, eyes flickering to Taeil, whose brow is furrowed in confusion. Taeyong nods.. “Yeah. It’ll take some time, so I’d prefer if we could get going before it gets too late.”

Doyoung lets out a breath that he didn’t realize he’d been holding. “Do I need to bring anything?” 

“Nope.” Taeyong’s deep eyes seem to warm ever so slightly at how quickly Doyoung is agreeing. “Just come along.”

Biting his lip, Doyoung gets up, exchanging a regretful glance with Taeil. “Alright. I’ll… see you later, Taeil.” 

The older boy nods understandingly, not seeming all that upset on the surface despite how tightly his fingers are wrapped around his pencil. With a final reluctant wave, Doyoung follows after Taeyong, wading through the grasses of the park. Taeyong doesn’t make any moves to explain what’s going on, why he’s come for Doyoung, or even to make small talk. 

“So how did you find me?” Doyoung asks, the first question that comes to his mind, lame as it is. Taeyong continues to walk, his broad shoulders accentuated by the casual shirt that he’s wearing. “I just asked one of your classmates.”

Doyoung doesn’t like the sound of that, especially with how nosy people tend to get around here. If it gets out that Taeyong was looking for him, it’ll be even more trouble.

“Then where are we going?” 

They finally break out from the park, heading straight along the road that goes back to the academy. “It’s a secret,” Taeyong says, despite the fact that it seems pretty obvious to Doyoung. They must be going back to the academy. Maybe Taeyong had played an elaborate prank on him, making him think he wasn’t in trouble only to reveal his punishment now. But no, Taeyong didn’t seem like that kind of person.

_ I won’t let you fall! _

Doyoung shakes out his bangs in embarrassment, not sure what’s up with his overreactive imagination. Maybe Taeyong just wants to play cards with him or something. Was Taeyong someone with a lot of friends? Doyoung can’t remember. He’s popular, sure, but Doyoung doesn’t think he’s ever actually seen him hanging out with another person. Perhaps by not revealing Taeyong’s secret, he’s earned himself a place as a friend. 

That hope is semi-shattered when Taeyong ends up leading him into the west wing of the academy, telling him in no uncertain terms to get suited up. 

They’re going exploring.

 

-

 

What feels like eons later, they’re still walking.

Doyoung’s oxygen tank is almost empty and they’re in Zone 4, a location that Doyoung hasn’t been brave enough to enter yet. There’s absolutely no way that he can make it back, and Taeyong surely knows that but isn’t saying anything. Maybe did Taeyong did bring him out here to just get rid of him. 

All around them are the ruins that Doyoung’s only seen pictures of in textbooks, the “skyscrapers” which now cover the same length horizontally that they once had vertically. This, he remembers, is where the center of the Old City had been, where the largest number of people had lived. The scope of it is almost unimaginable, the remnants of broken windows peering in upon smashed furniture that had once made up someone’s home. 

Doyoung looks away, biting his lip. “Taeyong,” he says finally, having been too subtly intimidated to speak up earlier. “I’m really going to run out of oxygen, you know.” 

“Don’t worry,” the older man replies with no further elaboration. “You won’t need it for much longer.”

Doyoung’s eyebrows furrow at how ominous that sounds, mouth opening slightly. “Is that you acknowledging that I’m going to die?”

“What?” Taeyong asks, letting out a genuine laugh that sounds so unlike his normal speaking tone that Doyoung is almost thrown off. “No, I’m not going to kill you. Sorry, I didn’t realize how bad that sounded. Just wait a little bit longer and you’ll understand.”

A few steps later, Taeyong holds out an arm to stop him. “See, it’s right there.”

“I don’t get what I’m looking at,” Doyoung comments honestly, blankly staring at the half-collapsed shed across the street. Taeyong doesn’t offer any explanation, merely jumping forward and gesturing for Doyoung to follow as he strides over and swings open the door.

It’s dark inside, no light shining through from the sun despite how dilapidated the roof had appeared from the outside. “Careful,” Taeyong warns. “There’s a steep slope over here.”

Doyoung frowns, activating the flashlight on his wrist as he follows Taeyong into the tunnel that seems to burrow down from the shed. It’s a very odd place to have something like this, and Doyoung can’t help but notice that the soil that makes up the walls appears damp. Subconsciously, he knew there had to be water somewhere in order to sustain the life of the creatures, but it’s still surprising to actually see evidence of it.

“Up here,” Taeyong calls, and Doyoung realizes that he’s fallen behind, jogging to catch up as he realizes that it’s getting brighter, but not because of sunlight. His jaw drops when he finally reaches Taeyong’s side, taking in the cave before them, littered with bioluminescent fungi and bright flowers, a stream trickling through the center of it all. It’s gorgeous, a biologist's dream, all real plants, none of the synthetic stuff they have in the city. 

“What is this place…?” Doyoung asks, watching in confusion as Taeyong rips off his mask and walks down in front of him, waist disappearing behind the glowing plant life. “One of the last sanctuaries,” Taeyong replies. “You can replenish your tank. The air is pure here.”

Hesitant, Doyoung lifts off the mask, surprised when he inhales what tastes just like ordinary air. “But how?” He asks. “How can this be possible?”

 

“Doyoung,” Taeyong says, turning to stare at him with possibly his most intense stare yet. “The toxins, they’re created by the city. Outside of Zone 5, the world is still normal.” 


	2. Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is a lot shorter than the others will be because it's meant mainly for expository purposes 
> 
> so sorry about the wait

For a few moments, it’s completely silent. 

“What do you mean?” Doyoung asks finally, voice level and gaze careful. It’s not like he hasn’t entertained the thought before but the words have a palpable danger to them when they’re out in the air. “It started when the old city collapsed.”

Taeyong sighs, cupping a broad leaf in his palm. “The collapse was organized by what was essentially a terrorist group. They funded one of the most successful research labs at the time to develop what is now the bubble. Originally, it wasn’t viable for them to set up the glass dome without any suspicion from the public, so when the bombs were placed around the city they set up a temporary chemical shield that was developed into the glass bubble it is today. The toxins in the air that had been released by the explosive devices were later contained within the zones, and the first mutations of the animals began to appear.” 

“Not to sound overly skeptical,” Doyoung begins. “But what evidence do you have for this?”

Taeyong ducks behind one of the plants, seeming to examine its stem. “Don’t worry, it’s a fair question. Since the collapse, there have been three different generations of leadership. There isn’t a single surviving witness to the collapse itself, which has made it a lot easier to twist the story to better control the population. My older brother, though, he was determined to find out the truth.” He pauses.

“One day, when I was seven years old, he came home still in his scavenging suit, covered in dirt and muck. He found me in the foyer and pulled off his helmet to give me that,” Taeyong says, pointing to a bush with wide blue flowers. “It was tiny back then, to the point where it would balance in my palm. He told me that it was from the outside, which I didn’t understand at the time. He seemed to be in a hurry, and he gave me a piece of paper with the password to my father’s closed-access library before telling me that he loved me and disappearing back outside. That was the last time I saw him. I can only hope that he managed to make it back across to the outside before they could dispose of him.”

Taeyong’s head reappears, and Doyoung holds eye contact with him. Doyoung had never even heard of Taeyong’s older brother, but now he thinks he understands why. “I’m sure he did,” Doyoung says, although he has no real basis to. It seems like the thing he needs to say, and from the fire that seems to ignite in Taeyong’s eyes, he was right. “Yeah,” Taeyong murmurs. “Thanks. But anyway, I went into the library, as you might expect, and I found all the records from the research lab documenting the building of the dome.”

“At the time, I was still a kid, so I couldn’t do much other than get on my parents’ good side and prepare. All these years, I’ve been working to make sure that they’re not suspicious of me. I want to free the citizens of the bubble, but to do that I need to see the outside.”

He doesn’t actually say it, but Doyoung can tell he wants to add something about meeting his brother again. “Well, alright,” Doyoung says, earning a surprised glance from Taeyong. “I’ve always had my suspicions, after all. But I still have a few questions for you.”

“Go ahead and ask,” Taeyong offers, tilting his head in a way that’s almost catlike. Doyoung looks around, taking in the cavern. “It’s not entirely relevant, but how can this place exist? Surely the contaminants must enter through the groundwater, and there’s no way that these plants can generate enough oxygen to make up for the lack of ventilation.”

“My brother created it. This place is sort of like a bunker, with thick, insulated walls and flooring surrounding it. There is actually a ventilation system with several layers of filtration based upon the walls of the city’s dome that connect to the surface nearby. The water is here artificially as well. There’s both a fountain to run this creek and a sprinkler system to keep the dirt moist. Since his disappearance, I’ve been doing maintenance on it.”

Doyoung peers around, unable to see any of the machinery that Taeyong had mentioned. It must have been extremely labor-intensive to create this place. He can’t imagine a single person making it, but perhaps the wealth and influence that came along with being one of the mayor’s sons made it possible. “Are you the only person that knows about this place?”

“Other than you, yes,” Taeyong says, watching him carefully. Doyoung purses both lips, watching the gauge on his ventilation tank refill. “So why me then? Why trust me with any of this?”

Taeyong shrugs, still looking at him. “You found out my secret, but you didn’t tell anyone. I need someone to come with me to the outside in case I can’t make it back, and I don’t exactly have any friends at the academy. At the very least, there’s some basic trust between us. I’m too desperate to wait much longer.”

“So you want me to… go to the outside with you?”

Taeyong nods. “Yes,” he says. “Not immediately, but in a few days. We’ll both need time to prepare.” With a soft breath, he finally breaks eye contact. “And I want you to fully understand the risks involved if you agree to do this.”

“Tell me a date,” Doyoung says after several painful seconds of silence. “Tell me a date and I’ll do it.” 


	3. Strange Encounter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank u guys so much for reading i hope u enjoy the direction this fic is going ahhh sorry if im slow to respond to comments but i try to update every weekend!! life kinda be busy this time of year

Taeyong gives him five days.

It’s a strange period of time for Doyoung, full of floating thoughts and empty stares out the window. He doesn’t see the older boy once, and yet Taeyong makes sure to send him cryptically encoded hints about preparation for the trip to the tablet that Doyoung had been assigned by the academy.

The messages keep his frantic brain in check, stopping some of the anxiety that’s been welling in Doyoung’s stomach from bursting out. The closer it gets to their departure time, the more difficult it gets for Doyoung to keep his restlessness in check. It’s entirely possible that this is either his last week here or his last week alive in general. If they get caught, Taeyong’s father’s men will certainly dispose of them in some way or another.

He sighs, resting his chin on one hand. Only a few hours to go. He had met up with his family members earlier in the day in order to tie up that loose end, but there’s still a lingering feeling of guilt in his heart. What if he gets branded as a criminal and his older brother loses his job because of their relationship? What if his parents are shunned by the community? What if he disappears and they never find out what happened to their son?

“Doyoung,” Taeil says then, his soft voice carrying from the opposite bed, big gloomy eyes sympathetic when Doyoung turns his head to meet them. “What has you so worked up? You’ve been like this all week. Do you want to talk about it?”

Doyoung returns his gaze to the ceiling, letting the hint of a breeze from the cracked window caress his face “It’s nothing big,” he lies. “Sorry, I didn’t realize that I’d been making you worry about me.”

“There’s no need to apologize for something like that,” his roommate murmurs. “I might like to see you smiling, but I’m always here if you’re feeling upset. Does it have something to do with that Lee Taeyong?”

For a moment, Doyoung pauses, cursing Taeil’s sharp intuition. “Nah,” he replies. “Just stressed about some schoolwork. Thanks though, Taeil. You’re a great guy.”

“Doyoung,” Taeil says after a few moments of silence. His tone is even, but Doyoung can tell that his lie has been detected. His roommate takes an audibly halting breath and then stops. “Actually, nevermind. Don’t worry about it. I hope you feel better soon.”

Frowning, Doyoung rolls over to stare at the other man’s hunched back. “If you’re sure.”

“Yeah,” Taeil replies. “I’m gonna try to get some sleep.”

 

-

 

It’s two hours after the strange conversation with Taeil that Doyoung silently crawls out of bed, eyes darting to his sleeping roommate as he snatches his backpack from the ground and makes for the door.

“Hey,” Taeil says blearily, voice coming from behind as Doyoung slips into his shoes. “Where are you going?”

Laughing nervously, Doyoung slips his final heel into the back of his shoe, trying to keep his voice even. “Just out for a bit. I made an appointment with my brother.”

“Alright,” Taeil mumbles, seeming to buy it. “Then I’m going back to sleep. Come back before it gets too dark or the floor attendant might get you for curfew.”

Doyoung nods although it’s useless in the pitch black of their dorm room. “Will do,” he lies. “Sleep well, Taeil.”

The other male grunts and Doyoung slips out the door, feeling relieved once he hears it click behind him. There’s a certain sort of fluttering excitement in his heart, the butterflies in his stomach lifting away his doubts as he sneaks down the black hallway and darts out the door of the dorms, practically leaping down the stairs to the road.

There’s a certain lightness that fills one’s steps when adrenaline hits, Doyoung realizes. Most of this trip is going to be across land that he’s covered before, and yet the excitement of discovering something new is still driving him forward, quickening his steps as he ducks through the shadows and propelling him forward into the exploration wing of the academy, right into Taeyong.

“Careful,” Taeyong grunts, steadying him with cold hands as he looks Doyoung up and down. “Don't get too eager. But you’re right on time so I suppose I’m glad.”

Doyoung smiles, his eyes shifting across the dimly lit room. “Are we set to go?” Taeyong nods, pulling him by the wrist into the neighboring chamber and gesturing toward one of the fancier suits hanging on the wall. “Wear this one. Nobody will be monitoring the dressing room at this hour unless an alarm is set off.”

Stepping past the older student, he pulls the body of the suit down from the hook on which it rests, gazing in barely concealed reverence at how sleek it feels between his fingers. It’s the kind of suit he’d always dreamed of wearing as a kid, but never would be able to because of his resistance to the toxin-immunity vaccines. But then again, Taeyong seems to have the same condition as him, so maybe there was hope.

“Hurry up,” Taeyong says, stepping into his own suit as Doyong scrambles to catch up. He doesn’t sound angry, not really, but there’s something strange about the tone of his voice. Perhaps the thrill of the journey is affecting him too, although he’s surely more experienced with these sort of things.

Carefully, Doyoung seals the back of his suit, having to stretch his arms quite a bit to do so. Before he can finish, Taeyong is there pressing the folds together, his expression invisible behind the helmet that he’s already put on. Doyoung resists the urge to comment, muttering a word of thanks and slipping on his own helmet as he shuffles along behind the older man while trying not to let his cheeks flush. “You remember the plan?” Taeyong asks as if it is necessary.

“Of course,” Doyoung replies in a muffled voice, and Taeyong seems satisfied. “Good. Then I’m counting on you.”

 

-

 

There’s someone, or something, following them.

Taeyong notices it first, just inside of Zone 4, his movements noticeably tensing as he quietly points out the barely audible noises to Doyoung without speaking himself, tugging a bit harder on the sleeve of Doyoung’s suit. Immediately, an unbearable anxiety surfaces in his stomach. Best case scenario, it’s one of the radiation creatures. Worst case scenario, it’s an officer from the bubble.

For a moment, Taeyong’s helmet turns to him, and he nods once, a reassurance. Doyoung thinks that it might be his way of telling him that things will be alright. From the direction they’re going, it looks like the original plan is still on, although Doyoung has no idea what Taeyong plans to do in the case that they’re actually being tailed by someone from the bubble.

Several tense minutes later, the footsteps are still audible every so often, very clearly coming after them at this point. Doyoung would like to think that it was a creature of some sort from how extremely unsubtle it behaves, but there’s no telling. He lets Taeyong pull him inside the familiar shed, only hoping that the thing following them hadn’t seen the door close behind them. Perhaps it will move along outside in a fruitless search.

“Take off your helmet,” Taeyong says quietly, leading him by the wrist down into the depths. “My suit has a function to disable the oxygen tanks in case of a situation like this when they’ll make too much noise. Yours does not unless the helmet is removed.”

Doyoung nods, carefully drawing his arm out from Taeyong’s hold and reaching up to pull it off and tuck it against his side as he follows the comforting sounds of the elder’s breaths. Taeyong must be thinking that they’ll have to hide from whatever it is. Or maybe he’s just being cautious. Either way, Doyoung will have to follow his lead.

“Over there,” Taeyong whispers in the silence, gesturing to one of the thick clumps of bushes among the overgrowth. Doyoung crouches down, following after him and crawling into the small, hidden space, letting his helmet rest under the branches of the bush. Before he can try to straighten out to stop his leg from cramping, Taeyong pulls him close, covering his mouth with a gloved hand.

Doyoung resists the urge to squirm despite his annoyance, hearing a creak from the tunnel. They’ve been followed down here. If it’s a creature, surely by scent alone, they’ll be sniffed out.

He holds his breath, feeling Taeyong’s heartbeat hammering against his back. The soft footsteps are drawing closer, sounding more and more human as Doyoung realizes that the pattern is in no way animal-like. His eyes widen, and for a moment the loudest sound in the entire world is the thudding of his own chest as the footsteps pad around the room.

There’s no way that he’ll be able to hold his breath for much longer, especially with how quickly his heart is beating, but he has to try. Taeyong’s breathing is practically inaudible, and Doyoung cannot give away their location by letting out a big gust of breath. He tries to relax to use less oxygen, but his hands are trembling against the dirt.

Closer and closer, the footsteps come, making Taeyong’s hand tense over Doyoung’s mouth. They’re going to be discovered. They’re going to be discovered, and by a human too.

It’s completely silent for a second, and then the helmet appears over them, that of a high ranking trainee. Doyoung almost screams, thrown off by Taeyong who leaps to swing his baton at the person, hitting the side of their helmet with some force. Immediately, the person stumbles backward, whipping out their own baton to use in defense.

“Run, Doyoung!”

Doyoung freezes. That was not Taeyong’s voice, but it was definitely a familiar one. 

“Taeil, stop it! Taeyong, stop! Both of you!” Doyoung practically screeches as Taeil sends a particularly ferocious blow into Taeyong’s gut, earning a nasty hit to the leg in return. Taeyong’s helmet spins, keeping his baton up in defense. “You know this guy?”

Doyoung nods feverishly, darting forward to block one of Taeil’s continued attacks with his own arm, causing him to stop immediately. “Taeil, please, you can’t tell anyone about this.”

“T-tell them what?” Taeil asks, sounding the most upset that Doyoung’s ever heard him. “That you’ve been forced out into the middle of nowhere and had your helmet removed? Is he blackmailing you or something? You should let me help you. I knew something was wrong this afternoon.”

“You sure have some nasty delusions,” Taeyong snarls, keeping his baton in his hand. “The air here is safe, that's why his helmet is off. We were hiding because we didn’t want to be caught by you. If he looks at all distressed, it’s your fault.”

Taeil seems to stiffen, and before he can retort, Doyoung tries to diffuse the situation. “Listen, Taeil, we’re out here for a very important reason. I’m not out here… against my will or anything like that. You absolutely can not tell anyone that you saw us.”

“Tell me the reason or I’ll call the headmaster right now,” he responds immediately. Doyoung looks to Taeyong, who seems to sigh in defeat, pressing a hand reluctantly to the front of his helmet. “We’re going to leave tonight,” Taeyong says, saving Doyoung the trouble of explaining. “We’re passing Zone 5 and leaving this place. Got it?”

Taeil stands frozen for a second, before leaning forward. “Listen, I don’t know what kind of nonsense you’re spouting, but if you two are going anywhere, I’m coming with you. If you say I can’t, I’ll just call up the headmaster and report what you’re doing right now.”

Doyoung exchanges a glance with Taeyong, who exasperatedly shakes his head. “Whatever, idiot. If you want to come, just ask nicely. Doyoung seems to care about you, so I’ll allow it, but you better not do anything to put either of us in danger.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Taeil responds immediately. Doyoung lets out a breath that he didn’t know he’d been holding, glad that the situation has seemed to de-escalate. He feels a little bit touched that Taeyong seems to care about his opinion, but also a little bit worried about how this might end up. He's never seen Taeil act this aggressively before, and he's definitely uneasy about the way the two of them still seem to be eyeing each other. But perhaps it's for the best that Taeil comes along. Doyoung would have a hard time leaving him behind, especially now. 

Snorting, Taeyong sheathes his baton. “Let’s refill our oxygen tanks. We’ve wasted enough time here already. It’s about time we head to the border.”

 

-

 

“We should be close now,” Taeyong says, his broad back getting more and more visible as the darkest part of the night passes them by.

Taeil sighs from behind Doyoung, unusually obstinate considering his gentle personality. “Why this way? There’s nothing in front of us for miles. Don’t you think you’d be able to see it if there was some sort of giant barrier here?”

“My brother told me to head straight north from the sanctuary,” Taeyong explains coldly. “It’s where he once broke through. They’ve patched it up since, but I’m counting on that part of the barrier to be weaker than the rest of it.”

It’s left unsaid, but Doyoung thinks the real reason might be to find traces of his brother. “At least we haven’t had any run-ins with any particularly nasty monsters,” Doyoung comments, trying to lighten the mood a little bit. Taeyong grunts in affirmation. “Yeah. My brother would never lead me down a dangerous path.”

Doyoung has no idea how Taeyong’s brother would have had the foresight to predict the safest path several years in the past, but he supposes he’s grateful for whatever has kept them safe, be it prophecy or luck.

It’s then that Taeyong stops suddenly, causing Doyoung to almost run into him, sucking in a sharp inhale when he realizes what has caused the disturbance.

“Are those… human skeletons?” Taeil asks from behind them, sounding horrified. The bones are more clearly evident in some places than others, but there are at least a few bodies, some half-buried and some covered by dirt and dust. There are a few remaining fragments of protective suits that haven't been ripped away by the rats, revealing chains around the necks of the nearby skeletons.

Taeyong grunts in affirmation, not that it’s necessary with how obvious the remains are, crouching down. “The bodies of the workers that were used to patch the hole.”

“How cruel,” Doyoung murmurs. “They were chained down and their helmets were removed. Left to die out here.”

Nodding, Taeyong straightens up, fists at his sides. “Couldn’t have them getting back knowing what the outside world looked like. This should mean that we’re definitely close.”

“How can you be so calm about this?” Taeil asks, disturbed. Taeyong just sighs. “I prepared myself before coming here. The only way we can prevent things like this from happening again is to muster the courage to do what others haven’t been able to.”

He pauses, and then his hand darts into his pocket. “In fact,” Taeyong says, “watch this.”

A pebble goes flying from his wide throw, sailing several feet forward before falling straight down, a small ripple seeming to pass over the very fabric of the reality before them. Taeyong lets out what seems like a genuine gasp of excitement despite the somber nature of their surroundings, darting forward and pulling out the laser cutter he had brought.

Doyoung stares in surprise, still processing that the sight before him is real.

Before he can so much as blink, Taeyong cuts open the world itself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> +100 gamer xp if you guessed who was following them


	4. Getting Somewhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as soon as i said i'd stick to a schedule i took a month hiatus haha classic   
> i'm back now though!!! and i really will update quickly this time!   
> thank you to everyone for your patience and kind words and support i love you guys! <3

“Wait-” Doyoung tries to yell, eyes widening as a patch of color brighter than any he’s seen outside of the city’s greenhouses appears behind the flapping curtain of reflection. There’s a grin on Taeyong’s face, the biggest one that Doyoung’s ever seen on it, a childlike joy seeming to erupt over him at the revelation. “No time for waiting,” Taeyong replies, not seeming to be worried in the slightest. “They’ll be alerted of the disruption immediately. We need to cross over.”

Frowning, Doyoung glances at the way that Taeil’s hands are visibly trembling. “Taei-,” he starts, cut off when the other abruptly walks past him with a grim frown and ducks under Taeyong’s outstretched arm out onto the carpet of green. Doyoung only sighs, shaking his head with a tiny exhale as Taeyong copies the action, finally bringing himself to trail after the two. He supposes they will need to get a move on in case the bubble sends a search party and consequently causes them to “disappear.”

The second he steps outside, pushing the strange rippling bubble, which is infinitely more obvious from the outside, closed to the best of his ability, Doyoung is struck by how bright it is. It’s night time, certainly, and yet the direct rays of moonlight upon his face are still uniquely new. He’d never realized just how much light the bubble filtered out until this very moment. 

Risking a quick glance over his shoulder in wonder, Doyoung’s mouth shuts into a frown. “It’s leaking,” he murmurs, earning a noncommittal shrug from Taeyong. “Can’t be helped. They’ll patch it quickly, don’t worry.”

Doyoung bites his lip, still watching the curling blades of grass as they waver close to the patch. It’s not like he can seal the rupture now, but he still feels guilty seeing the fibers start to wither. “Sorry,” he whispers to the air, hoping it’ll suffice for the moment as he squares his shoulders and turns back to follow the others. 

It’s quite cool out here, perhaps due to the different composition of the atmosphere. Even through the padding of his suit, Doyoung can begin to feel the chill. Shuddering, he hurries his steps to catch up with Taeyong and Taeil, glancing about as they pass a group of trees. Everything is more vibrant, more defined than it had been in the city, and although Doyoung had noticed the increased brightness earlier, it’s still quite difficult to see farther than a few feet away. 

“Guys,” he says, getting a grunt from Taeyong, who’s dragging his hands across the bark, and a quick glance from Taeil, whose arms are crossed firmly over his chest. “We aren’t going to be able to find anything like this. Let’s find a place to hide for the night and search in the morning.”

Taeil sighs, letting his arms drop and turning away as Taeyong similarly exhibits offense, though likely for much different reasons. “And what exactly is it that we’re searching for? I thought once we got proof that this place existed, we could return.”

“We need to find my brother,” Taeyong admits for the first time, shifting his weight between his feet. “He’ll help us get back inside. There’s no way we could on our own. We can’t waste time now, we have to start looking.”

Taeil seems displeased with that answer, muttering something about never being able to find him as he turns back to kick at the dirt. Doyoung figures he’ll have to tackle that problem separately. “Taeyong,” Doyoung starts, a warning. “In this darkness, the best we’re going to do is get ourselves lost, or worse, discovered. Wandering around in the dark with flashlights on, don’t you think we’ll be pretty obvious targets to any search party?”

For a moment, the older man seems to consider it, and then he sighs loudly. “I guess you’re right. Sorry. I’m just… I can’t control my emotions right now.”

“No need to apologize,” Doyoung responds swiftly, turning to glance around them. “I understand how you feel. Just, let’s find a cave or a big bush or something and hunker down until it gets brighter. We can even have a watch system if that makes you feel better.”

Taeil nods in agreement, seeming eager to get some sleep, while Taeyong reluctantly starts to trail after Doyoung’s explorative steps.

Unfortunately, finding a suitable shelter isn’t all that easy, especially when the rain starts to pour down. Shivering and miserable, when they finally do happen upon a small cave, Doyoung is extremely grateful that the others decided to take his suggestion. Being out of the rain, even if it isn’t really damaging him, is a godsend. 

He offers to take first watch for the sake of his uninterrupted sleep, sitting near the opening and occasionally glancing back at the two restless sleepers, both pressed against opposite walls, even in slumber. It’s almost funny, keeping him sane as he scrapes sticks together for two hours in an attempt to pass the time. 

By the time he finally wakes Taeyong up and falls into his first real nap of the day, he’s exhausted, and more than happy to take the opportunity to sleep.

Strangely enough, his dreams are empty.

 

-

 

When Doyoung finally wakes up, it’s to a warm presence against his side and a loud voice outside. 

He’s sitting up in an instant, gently shoving Taeyong aside and choosing to ignore whatever their sleep cuddling had meant for the moment as he scrambles to the cave opening, only to see Taeil held at spearpoint by a man that’s most certainly not from within the bubble. Taeil’s eyes flicker to his own, and it’s then that the older male seems to give in to defeat. 

Doyoung tries not to panic, noticing an abundance of what seem to be the man’s cronies hiding within the trees, all of them armed. There’s no way they can fight their way out of this. He tries to quickly duck back into the shelter of the cave, but it’s already too late. One of the women at the opposite end of the clearing points at him, yelling something, and then he’s being dragged out to stand at Taeil’s side and the other soldiers are going into the cave to retrieve Taeyong. 

“You’re from the bubble,” the one who had been intimidating Taeil says, matter-of-factly. Doyoung shares a look with Taeil, and then his mouth flies open. “And who are you? Why do you care?”

The man regards him carefully, tilting his head. “We need to figure out if you are a danger to us. What is your reason for leaving?”

“To escape,” Taeyong pants, being manhandled out by the arms as he glares at his assailants. His eyes are bleary and he still seems half-asleep, almost causing Doyoung to pity him. “We wanted to escape.”

Glancing at his partners in crime, the man frowns. “And why should we believe that?” He accompanies the question with a jab of the spear, making a drop of sweat roll down the back of Doyoung’s neck. How ridiculous that their deaths won’t be from the people of the bubble that they feared so much, but from those of its enemy.

“Wait!” A voice suddenly yells from the trees, a young man sprinting through the ranks, his hair messy and eyes bright. There’s something familiar about him, Doyoung thinks, and then he realizes. “I thought I told you guys to wake me up when you found them! Don’t worry, I’ll take it from here.”

A silence falls over the clearing, complete and utter, and the man who had been interrogating them lowers his spear, just in time for the new arrival to step forward, pupils shaking. 

“Wait… Taeyong? Is that you?”


	5. Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> abhhhhh i feel like this chapter might be a bit muddled and confusing but i was having a hard time getting back into writing this fic so its just what came out from my fingers!

Taeyong and his brother have the same eyes, Doyoung notices as he’s ushered into a wide, unnervingly clean office by two of the stone-faced guards.

“Make yourselves comfortable,” Taeyong’s brother says cheerfully as if anything about his starkly white clean-room of an office is reminiscent of comfort. “We have a lot to talk about, after all. And I’m sure you have plenty of questions for me, which I’ll try to answer in due time. Jinyoung, Seulgi, leave us. They pose no danger.”

The male guard nods, stepping away from Doyoung as the female lends the three of them a final distrustful gaze before disappearing through the doorway and shutting it a bit too roughly behind her. Doyoung swallows, watching as Taeyong’s brother sits down leisurely upon a sleek ottoman, folding his legs.

Seeming to sense their reluctance to move further into the room, he gestures welcomingly toward the couch in front of him, the final push needed to set the wary trio into motion. The second they’re finally seated, a fidgety Taeyong wedged between a glaring Taeil and rapidly-paling Doyoung, Taeyong’s brother leans forward to peer at them across the unfriendly coffee table, seeming satisfied for some reason. 

“Sorry about all the trouble. I’m the head researcher here, as well as the only deserter from the contaminated zone. They tend to get overprotective. But how have you been, Taeyong? Is everything well at home?”

Taeyong nods disinterestedly, eyes darting around as if trying to memorize every detail of the surrounding room. “We can talk later. What is this place?” He asks, not bothering with any more pleasantries despite his earlier eagerness to reunite with his brother.  

“The easternmost Catastrophe Research and Prevention Center. We focus on monitoring the nearby contaminated zone and trying to develop a way to safely destroy it.”

Doyoung shifts, detecting a possibility hidden underneath his words, a suggestion that makes a chill run down his spine. “Are there more than one of these… contaminated zones? Similar to the one where we lived?”

“That’s right,” he replies, taking a sip from the steel thermos that had been on the table since they’d entered. “I do apologize. I forgot how little knowledge you three must have of this world. Allow me to explain a few things.”

He sets down his thermos and Doyoung involuntarily leans forward, eager to absorb whatever information he has to offer. “In the beginning, there were five cities. The four outer cities sat around the central one more or less in the shape of a plus sign, for the sake of visualization. Past the outermost cities, there was only water, stretching as far as the eye could see. It was said that anyone who sailed past the horizon could never again return.”

“Isolated as they were, the cities grew increasingly dependent on each other. In an attempt to improve the quality of living for many of the citizens, most of the undesirable buildings such as the manufacturing centers, the landfills, the power plants, and the impoverished homes of the laborers working within said industries were moved into the central city. It became undesirable, a location sullied with dirt and rust as the outer cities grew into their manicured opulence off of the suffering of the central city’s residents.”

He pauses, scratching his neck. “As you might guess, many people within the central city became aggravated, especially as security tightened and prices raised to keep them within the poverty that marked their lives. A rebellion was staged, led by four main figureheads who used the vast numbers of skilled tradespeople within their forces to stage the overthrow of the outer cities.”

“It was a very unpleasant struggle, as you can imagine. The central city’s army would not have stood a chance against the weapons against them that they themselves had manufactured, and so they turned to the use of chemical weapons, for which there was little remedy save for the protective suits from the central city's factories. The original intent of the movement was only to balance things out, but as the fighting continued, the rebellion was radicalized into destroying the majority of the outer cities, completely taking them over.”

Taeyong’s brother looks them over, sighing and rubbing his hands together. “The chemical weapons that they had used to so easily dispose of many of their opponents quickly proved deadly to the civilians within their own forces as well, and the four leaders of the movement decided to quickly establish barriers, trapping a select population along with the harmful gasses inside the ruins of the old cities. While this might not have been part of the original plan, the leaders of the rebellion quickly realized that these chemicals could be used to create new societies.”

Doyoung holds his breath, starting to understand the big picture. “They could create the utopia they had wished for within the little bubbles and trap people inside. In these smaller communities, it was easier to establish trust and easier to share resources. It was a foolproof method of maintaining power, and at that point, the population of the central city had been cut down to a state where it took many years for the city even begin running at an operable level again.”

“This lab is sponsored by the central city, right?” Taeyong interjects, his eyes narrowed. “It looks like you guys are doing fine in terms of resources now. Why haven’t you done anything to free the people inside the ‘contaminated zone’?”

His brother sighs once more, glancing from the carpet up to his sibling’s eyes. “It’s not that simple. Believe me, all four of our labs have been working our hardest to solve the problem of the contaminated zones. It’s just, there are so many factors in our way. If we break in, the toxins will just leak out, especially so if we can’t stop their production quickly. Plus, we’re expecting a fair bit of resistance, which could damage the glass that protects civilians, leading to more injuries and deaths. And even then, there’s still the threat posed by the creatures within the contaminated zones. Until we concoct a solution that somehow eliminates those risks, it’s safer for the residents to remain where they are.”

“It’s not,” Taeyong whispers. “It’s not!” He repeats loudly, making Doyoung’s head turn and Taeil’s eyes widen. His brother raises an eyebrow which Taeyong takes as an invitation to continue, his teeth digging into the lower lip of his mouth. “The bubble will run out of potable water by the end of this month. Rationing will begin within the next few days, and as soon as rationing begins, the population will grow desperate. Everyone will wonder if there might be more water outside of the borders, and then the crackdown will start. People will die.” 

Taeyong’s brother frowns, an expression eerily similar to the one his younger counterpart is sporting. “Surely such a situation would force even a man as stubborn as father to relent. He would have to send out patrols. It's safer to wait it out.”

“He’d let everyone else die before doing such a thing,” Taeyong whispers, fingers clenched with hatred. “The manor has its own water supply. He knows that letting out the secret about the bubble would be more dangerous for him than simply waiting for the people to thin out and making his own escape.”

“I guess you’re right,” his brother mumbles. “You’re right, but what can we do? We can’t endanger all the people of the land in order to save a select few. There are too many loose variables.”

Doyoung frowns, gazing down at his toes. He understands Taeyong’s brother’s point, agrees with it even, but the thought of his family hangs bitter in his throat, heavy and stinging.

“No,” Taeyong argues after a few seconds of agonizing silence. “It’s not hopeless. You have us now. We can get inside and shut off whatever is producing the toxins.”

“Listen to yourself,” his brother says, sounding hopeless. “You know nothing about those machines. And even if you were to get back inside, they would surely notice. How long do you think it would take before you three would be killed off?”

Taeyong deflates ever so slightly, his shoulders still squared as he tries to rummage for a solution. Noticing his plight, Doyoung swallows, squeezing his eyelids together. There’s a memory surfacing from his childhood, a memory that appears more and more useful in the context of their conversation. “You’re right,” he says, hand moving to rest on Taeyong’s knee. “Taeyong doesn’t know anything about the machines. But I do.”

Taeil mouths his name, clearly surprised and a little worried. Doyoung gives him a reassuring smile, turning back to Taeyong’s incredulous brother. “There are twenty maintenance centers in total, four per each zone. Each zone has a separate power grid. If we were to cut power to all five zones, we could completely halt the production of new toxins. Of course, we’d also need someone to infiltrate the power company’s monitoring room, but there’s usually only one guard on duty who watches the signal level from the outer rings.”

“How do you know all this?” Taeyong asks, surprised. Doyoung shrugs gently, fidgeting. “My brother," he explains simply, not wanting to elaborate. "It’s not unreasonable though, that we would be able to stop them. They’ll be able to tell that we have reentered the outer barrier but not where we’re moving. We can do it. We can.”

Taeyong’s brother’s mouth twitches. “You’re still leaving way too many things up to chance,” he says. “And that only solves one of our problems, anyway.”

“Well you’re the researcher,” Taeil answers, determined to back Doyoung. “If we take care of the most difficult part of the plan, I’m sure that you guys can figure out the rest.”

When he looks up again to meet their expectant gazes, Taeyong’s brother just exhales wearily. “Very well. I suppose the situation is dire enough to warrant some recklessness. We will complete the rest of the plan. Give us until the end of the week.”

Taeyong perks up immediately, looking rather similar to an animal that has just been offered a treat. Seeing the reaction, his brother lifts a finger to quiet him. “That being said, should you three fail to complete your part of the plan, the rest of us will retreat at any time to minimize our losses. Everything rides on you. No pressure.”

Nodding his head, Doyoung refuses to back down. “We will not fail. Don't worry.”

 

-

 

Staying at the research base is a strange experience. 

Despite the initial hostility toward their arrival and some occasional degrading comments about them “ruining the sanctity of the place,” they are mostly treated like royalty, esteemed guests whose every need is attended to with haste. Doyoung and Taeyong share a room, not that Doyoung really notices when Taeyong is gone before he even wakes up in the morning and returns after he’s fallen asleep. 

It’s pleasant though, Doyoung thinks of the research facility. On the first day, he takes a tour of the place with Taeil, admiring the familiarity of bustling, messy-haired researchers among the strangely sterile hallways. It’s not a place he would like to remain for an extended period of time, but it has its charm, especially compared to the dull colors and patched walls of the buildings within the bubble.

Taeil in particular takes interest in the lower laboratories, particularly in a friendly young man with a strong accent who seems to be doing some sort of chemistry work. Doyoung doesn’t pay much attention and pays even less when Taeil continues to dash off to see the lab technician day after day. It’s clearly more of an infatuation with the man than it is an infatuation with his work, but at the very least he’s enjoying his time there.

Doyoung isn’t sure he can say the same, despite his earlier admittances about the pleasant nature of the place. He takes to thumbing through the research journals in the library or wandering the gardens, intrigued by the bright and beautiful new plants. Sure, everything is new and fascinating, but he’s honestly a bit lonely. Taeil is always going to see Sicheng and Taeyong is off doing who knows what, probably reuniting with his brother. The only company Doyoung has is found in passing workers who want to ask him questions about the bubble and the auntie in the cafeteria.

By the fourth day, he decides that sitting around and worrying is not at all good for his complexion and ventures out to see the sights, letting his feet carry him through the nearby meadows and the outskirts of the forest from which they had been abducted. He knows that the closer it gets to the date of their operation, the less time he’ll have to be free like this. It could very well be his last opportunity to enjoy the sights of wilderness, and so he settles among the grass and lies content, watching the clouds as the sun drifts lower and lower into the sky. 

From within the bubble, he had never been able to see the stars, but their presence was well documented in the books and charts within the local library. When he was a child, he had studied them, wanted desperately to be able to see the glimmering dots above, and now he almost wishes he could have done this sooner. 

Even with the faint lights from the research center, the stars are bright and clear, twinkling on above as he breathes in and out, feeling the welcome touch of the night air. It’s his own sort of paradise, an unobstructed view of the sky and the chirping of creatures that he has learned are called crickets in his ears. 

“Doyoung?” A voice asks, making his head whirl, snapped right out of his reverie. It’s Taeyong, standing a few feet away, his head tilted in Doyoung’s direction but eyes focused on the stars. Doyoung moves to sit up, halting when Taeyong plops down beside him and collapses back into the long grass. “They’re beautiful,” he says. “The stars are really beautiful.”

“How did you find me?” Doyoung asks dumbly, settling back down to stare up at the sky and (hopefully) hide his embarrassment. He hears Taeyong rustle around, and then something is slipped into his hand, a warm candy bar, clearly from his pocket, probably melted from how soft it feels between Doyoung’s own fingers. “Taeil told me you had gone out to explore. I just started wandering and somehow stumbled upon you. It makes sense though, I guess. This is the best place to stargaze.”

With careful tears, Doyoung unwraps the paper, feeling the half-melted substance begin to stick to his fingers as he brings it to his lips. “I see,” he manages, the end of the words hanging in the air for at least a minute as they lay in silence. 

“So-,” Taeyong begins at the exact same time that Doyoung starts asking a question, causing another few brief moments of uncomfortable silence before they both laugh. “Go ahead,” Doyoung says. “Your question is probably less meaningless than mine.”

Taeyong chuckles again, and Doyoung is once more reminded of how much freer he seems now that he’s out of the bubble. It hasn’t been long since their first meeting, and yet Taeyong already feels infinitely more warm, his seriousness remaining but the bitterness weighing it down having disappeared. “I’m not sure about that. I was just going to ask how you’ve been taking everything. I still owe you an apology, you know, for dragging you into this without even knowing all the details myself.”

For a moment, Doyoung is quiet, listening to the other breathe. “No,” he responds finally. “Don’t apologize. If I were back there right now, not knowing any of what I do now and unable to do anything, I think I’d actually lose my mind. You’ve given me control over my fate. I might have a lot on my mind at the moment, but I’d much rather be here and feel like I have a role in things than sit quietly at home.”

“That’s,” Taeyong murmurs, raising a hand to frame specific stars between his fingers. “A very mature way to look at things. I’m glad that you were the one who happened to see me getting attacked by those wolves.”

Doyoung snorts, rolling over, the sweet taste of the chocolate still lingering in his mouth as he peers through the blades of grass at what he can glimpse of Taeyong’s face. “All this is thanks to me being unable to stay out of other people’s business, I see.”

“You could put it that way,” Taeyong hums, the beginnings of another smile creeping upon his lips. “But I think you’re just really kind. Even now, you’re more worried for everyone else’s safety than your own.”

“You’re the same way,” Doyoung replies snarkily, earning a snort. “Don’t give me all the credit. But really, I’m glad that you seem to be happy here.”

Taeyong doesn’t reply for a moment, and Doyoung thinks he might have said something wrong, but then the other rolls over to face him, their eyes meeting, the distance between them feeling impossibly small despite the barrier of grass that separates their bodies. “Mm,” he hums. “Thanks. Although I really should have been spending more time with you.”

“We can always play twenty questions as we’re infiltrating the zone,” Doyoung suggests sarcastically to hide how flustered Taeyong’s admittance had made him. The other grins, all bright and brilliant, finally rolling back over to look at the sky, seeming to take mercy on him. “I’ll look forward to it.”

Doyoung snorts, following his gaze up to the nearest constellation and settling back into contentedness. Taeyong is surprisingly endearing when he’s not upset at something. Considering his meticulous nature and motherly behavior, Doyoung supposes that they actually have quite a few similarities. 

He swallows, the taste of chocolate becoming warmer in his mouth. For how little time he has know Taeyong, he sure likes the older man a lot. Whether it’s a friendly admiration or one of the “love at first sight” type crushes from those stupid romance novels that Taeil always liked to read, he isn’t sure, but for now, he doesn’t want to think about it. 

 

With the struggle that faces them ahead, it’s better not to complicate things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> will be a lot of action next chapter hopeully more exciting

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!!!!! <3 
> 
> comments appreciated!


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